Feel Free With B, York (2026)

26/02/2026

Week 4/5 post C-section 🤎

These are some of the movements I gently added back into my daily routine once I felt ready. Nothing fancy or rushed. Just slow, intentional rebuilding.

🖤 Slide 1: Table top arm lifts – reconnecting to core + shoulder stability

🤎 Slide 2: Table top leg lifts – glute activation and core stability

🖤 Slide 3: Bird dog – coordination, balance & deep core engagement

🤎 Slide 4: Knee hovers – light core challenge while keeping it controlled

🖤 Slide 5: Side-lying leg lifts – outer glutes & hip strength

🤎 Slide 6: Side-lying knee to chest – gentle lower ab connection

🖤 Slide 7: Bodyweight squats – functional strength

🤎 Slide 8: Swiss ball leg lifts – core + stability focus

🖤 Slide 9: Swiss ball puppy pose – because it feels SO good 😍

19/02/2026

Impatiently waiting for the green light from the doctor & physio so I can finally get back on the reformer 🤎✨

It’s been many months since I’ve been able to move like this - this video was taken in February 2025 and it already feels like a different lifetime.

This audio is exactly what I’ll need playing in my head when I start again… because rebuilding after pregnancy and surgery means giving myself time, patience and consistency. No comparison. No rushing. No being my own worst enemy.

The countdown is on 🙈🙏🏼😍

17/02/2026

Exercises to give the neck, shoulders & spine some love 🤍I started these around week 3/4 post C-section as I had been feeling really tight through this area from breastfeeding and holding Martha all the time - these movements really helped ease some of that tension.

As always, please listen to your own body - You can always reduce the range of movement depending on how you feel ✨

Slide 1 – Neck Stretch
Slowly drop one ear toward your shoulder, keeping the opposite shoulder heavy.
Perfect for easing tension from feeding, holding baby & broken sleep.

Slide 2 - Pilates Roll Downs
Gentle spinal mobility.
Stand tall → tuck chin → slowly roll down one vertebra at a time.
Soften knees if needed.
Roll back up slowly, stacking the spine.
Amazing for reconnecting to your core & releasing back stiffness.

Slide 3 – All Fours Thoracic Rotation (Half Thread the Needle)
Great for thoracic mobility + chest opening.

Slide 4 – All Fours Thoracic Chest Opening + Arm Circle
From all fours, rotate open through the chest and circle the arm back.
Focus on smooth, controlled movement.
Encourages shoulder mobility & posture support.

Slide 5 – All Fours Shoulder Protraction & Retraction
In tabletop, keep arms straight.
Gently press the floor away (protract) → then soften chest between shoulders (retract).
Small movement, big impact.
Helps rebuild shoulder stability & upper body strength.

Slide 6 – Foam Roller Puppy Pose
Hips over knees, hands on foam roller.
Sink chest gently toward the floor.
Beautiful chest, shoulder & upper back opener.
Breathe deeply here 🤍

Slide 7 – Supine on Foam Roller + Arm Circles
Lie lengthways on the roller, head & pelvis supported.
Find neutral pelvis, engage deep core gently.
Slow arm circles to open the chest & improve shoulder mobility.
Control > range.

Slide 8 – Side Lying Open Book
Knees bent, arms stacked in front.
Open top arm across your body, rotating through upper back.
Keep hips stable.
Let the breath guide the movement.

Slide 9 – Side Lying Open Book + Arm Circles
From open book position, add gentle arm circles.
Encourages fluid shoulder mobility & thoracic rotation.

Slide 10 - Martha’s turn!

15/02/2026

C-SECTION RECOVERY HOSPITAL TIPS + WHAT I ACTUALLY USED 🤍

✨ Take pain relief as prescribed ✨ Get up and walk gently when you can (it really helps with gas + recovery) ✨ Support your core with a pillow if possible when coughing/laughing ✨ Hydrate!
✨ Keep moving/wiggling your feet and legs every now and then when the feeling comes back in them ✨ Accept all the help

What I packed in my hospital bag that I actually used 👇

🥥 Coconut water - amazing for hydration + helped get my digestion going
 💧 Electrolytes - I used Humantra and swear by them for hydration + supporting digestion
 🍃 Chewing gum - so helpful for digestion (especially after abdominal surgery) and freshening up if you can’t get up to brush your teeth.
 🍿 Snacks – I packed mini bags of popcorn, mini chocolate rice cakes from M&S, and lentil crisps…
But what I really craved was fruit. 🍊🥭🍍 
Alex brought me oranges, mango and pineapple the next morning and it was exactly what my body wanted.

I’ve read that you should avoid the toast they offer you as it can slow digestion and add to discomfort. I couldn’t eat it at first anyway because I kept being sick and couldn’t keep anything down. I did end up eating it at 4am the next morning though… I was starving 😅 I have heard about people getting really bad pain in their stomach and shoulder from trapped gas / constipation but I personally didn’t suffer from this at all.

🍋 My Lululemon water bottle kept my water ice cold the whole time

💤 PJs… packed them, didn’t touch them. I  stayed in the hospital gown the whole time because I never ended up showering

🏠 Going home outfit - loose, baggy, dark coloured tracksuit

🩲 Always discreet postpartum high waisted maternity knickers super absorbent 
👟 Slip-on UGGs - easy to slide on for bathroom trips + going home

🪭 Small portable fan Absolute must! The ward was SO hot.

📱 Long wired phone charger The outlets are never close enough.

🎧 iPad - kept us occupied whilst waiting for our time to go down to theatre as we were 3rd on the list and if felt like the longest wait ever

13/02/2026

C-Section Rehab: 2–3 Weeks Post Surgery 💕

The following exercises are what felt good for me at this stage but remember, every body and every birth is different - always listen to your body 🤍

For context I’m a Pilates instructor and was training at CrossFit 4x per week up to week 39 of pregnancy so my baseline may look different to yours. This is gentle, intentional reconnection work.

Slide 1 – Pelvic Tilts
Supine imprint and release. Gently articulate the pelvis, finding neutral to posterior tilt while reconnecting to deep abdominals and breath. Focus on rib-to-hip connection without gripping.

Slide 2 – Glute Bridges
Segmental bridge. Press through the heels to articulate the spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, engaging glutes and hamstrings while maintaining deep core support.

Slide 3 – Deep Abdominal Heel Slides
Slow heel slides from bent-knee position. Maintain a neutral pelvis as you extend one leg, engaging the transverse abdominals without doming through the midline.

Slide 4 – Hip Openers
Gentle external rotation work (bent-knee fallouts) Stabilize the pelvis while allowing controlled movement at the hip joint to restore mobility without strain.

Slide 6 – Arm Reaches Overhead
Supine arm arcs overhead. Keep ribs softly knitted as arms move, maintaining core connection and shoulder stability.

Slide 7 – Cactus Arms
Goalpost arms with scapular control. Open across the chest while keeping ribs grounded, encouraging thoracic mobility and postural awareness.

Slide 8 – Single Leg Tabletop
Lift one leg at a time to tabletop with control. Focus on pelvic stability and deep abdominal engagement without shifting or bracing.

Slide 9 – Clamshell – External Rotation
Side-lying clams. Heels together, rotate top knee upward while keeping hips stacked to activate glute medius and support pelvic stability.

Slide 10 – Clamshell – Internal Rotation
Reverse clam variation, targeting internal rotators and deep hip stabilizers.

12/02/2026

My positive C-section story ✨🤍

We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am - we were 3rd on the list, so we had a few hours to wait. We watched Celebrity SAS from the hospital bed to pass the time 😂 They did warn us that if any emergencies came in, we might not make theatre that day… but luckily we did 🤍

11:30am we went into theatre
11:56am our beautiful Martha was here 🩷

I was SO scared of the spinal block beforehand, but honestly there was absolutely nothing to worry about. I didn’t feel a thing.

During surgery I felt sick which is no surprise if you know me and I experienced a bad headache, but the anaesthetist gave me medication through my cannula and it worked almost instantly.

We had our own playlist on, the doctor was dancing to it, the midwives took photos throughout, the anaesthetist kept checking I was feeling okay, Alex cut the cord, and I got skin-to-skin straight away 🥹🤍

About 6 hours later I managed to sit up in the chair next to my hospital bed (I couldn’t manage to walk yet because I wouldn’t stop being sick). Anti-sickness meds saved me again - where were they in the first trimester?! 😂

Around 20 hours after surgery I walked to the bathroom myself, and honestly it was nowhere near as scary or painful as I’d built it up to be after reading and seeing many negative posts on social media.

Overall, it was such a lovely, calm experience. The doctors, midwives and anaesthetists were incredible. Alex stayed with me until 10pm, and the midwives were so caring overnight. They even took Martha for 4 hours so I could sleep and recover - apparently she enjoyed watching The Traitors with them 🥹😂

I’d 100% choose a C-section again 🤍✨

If any one has any questions please feel free to send me a message as I know I had a lot of questions beforehand 🙏🏼

10/02/2026

Following on from yesterday’s post, here are some more stretches and mobility work I started doing around weeks 1–2 post C-section 🤍

Just a reminder: these were exercises that felt good for my body at the time. I listened closely and focused on the areas that felt like they needed some love. Always work within your own comfort and recovery.

Slides 1–2:
✨ Shoulder mobility + chest stretch
I’m using my dressing gown tie here, but a theraband works too. In slide 2, notice how I keep connection between ribs and hips - no rib flaring. Neutral pelvis, gentle core connection, glutes lightly engaged.

Slide 3:
🐈‍⬛ Cat / cow for spinal flexion & extension
Only move through a range that feels good. Be mindful not to overdo the extension - especially early on while your C-section scar is still healing.

Slide 4:
🌀 Kneeling thoracic twist
Kneeling helps keep the pelvis square so the movement comes from the middle of the spine. Neutral pelvis, open chest and keep your elbows back. Think about gently pushing the back of your head into your hands to improve posture.

Slide 5:
🌵 Cactus arms
Great for opening the chest and stretching the upper back between the shoulder blades.

Slide 6:
🦵 Single-kneeling hip flexor + quad stretch
Keep the underneath knee directly under your hip to avoid overstretching early on. Neutral pelvis, tall posture (shoulders over ribs, ribs over hips). Squeeze the glute on the supporting side to deepen the stretch safely.

Slide 7:
➿ Optional gentle side bend
Only add this if it feels comfortable for you.

Slide 8:
🦋 Butterfly stretch
Targets hips, pelvis and inner thighs. Use cushions or blocks under the knees for support if you’re tight here.

Slide 9:
🦋 Butterfly stretch with a forward fold
Take it deeper only if it feels okay.

Slides 10–11:
🦋 Single-leg butterfly stretch
An option if you want to progress the stretch further.

Always listen to your body, take it slow, and remember that recovery isn’t a race 🤍

09/02/2026

Why I chose an elective C-section 🤍

This was a personal decision not made from fear, but from intuition, information, and self-trust.

✨ A gut feeling From early on, I just knew this was the right delivery for me.

✨ What I’ve seen in my industry Through my work, I’ve heard far too many traumatic birth stories. It made me really reflect on what kind of experience I wanted for myself.

✨ Control & certainty Knowing the day I’d meet my baby. Knowing (roughly) what would happen. Being able to prepare mentally, practically and emotionally for birth and recovery.

✨ Avoiding an emergency scenario I didn’t want to go through a long labour only to end up needing an emergency C-section, which I’d heard can be harder to recover from.

✨ Pelvic health considerations I’m hypermobile, which can apparently increase the risk of pelvic organ prolapse. I’ve also had a history of an extremely tight psoas causing severe back pain, potentially linked to a tight pelvic floor which is another risk factor I didn’t want to ignore.

✨ Work & recovery realities I’m partly self-employed with a very physical job where I’m on my feet most of the day. While C-section recovery can be longer, it felt more predictable than the unknowns that can come with vaginal birth.

✨ Preparation I did a lot of research on how to recover well from a C-section and that gave me more confidence.

This is my personal experience and decision - not advice, recommendation or judgment on how anyone else chooses (or is able) to give birth.

Every body is different, every pregnancy is different and every birth is valid 💛

09/02/2026

After sharing a story the other day showing some of the movement I’ve been doing since my C-section three weeks ago, I received so many messages asking what exercises I’ve been doing. I thought I’d start sharing parts of my recovery journey here to help anyone who feels unsure where to begin after surgery.

I’m now 3.5 weeks post-operation, but these are some of the gentle mobility exercises I introduced at around one week post C-section.

After spending long periods in bed or sitting, my back (particularly my thoracic spine) felt extremely stiff and uncomfortable. I began with very gentle spinal and shoulder mobility, alongside thoracic/360-degree breathing to gently reconnect with my core.
When working on spinal mobility, it’s important to stay mindful of pelvic positioning and avoid rib flaring. Maintaining a soft connection between the lower ribs and hips can help create gentle core engagement following major surgery.

Coordinating breath with movement is key as it supports core function while encouraging mindful, controlled movement. Please always work within a range that feels safe and comfortable for you and your scar, without pushing too far.

I’d like to emphasise that I am not a physiotherapist. I’m a Pilates teacher, and these exercises are simply what felt appropriate for me at one week post-surgery.
Please always listen to your own body and do what feels right for you.

While on maternity leave, I’ll continue to document my C-section rehabilitation journey and hope it may help someone else navigating this stage. There’s often very little guidance once you leave hospital, and if sharing my experience supports even one person, that feels worthwhile 🤍

03/11/2025

Goodbye October 👋🏼 Hello 3rd trimester 🍂

I took a visit to a couple of weeks ago as I started to struggle with pelvic girdle pain. She was SO helpful, I highly recommend any one who is pregnant to give her a visit.

Planning classes for you all is becoming a slight challenge now as I can’t physically practice everything that I want to teach 😅 apparently my classes are getting more challenging the more pregnant I get 🤭

Dark morning and evenings are now upon us but it makes us happy at that it doesn’t stop you all from getting your practice in.

Mini Martin’s nursery is nearly finished and I continue to keep ‘hugging the baby’ to try and keep my core strong 💪🏼

Feel Free With B

26/02/2026

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03/11/2025

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